ROSS MURRAY is receiving help and support from arguably Britain’s best-ever female middle-distance runner.

The Wallsend-based Gateshead Harrier was one of 12 talented young male middle distance athletes selected by Dame Kelly Holmes to attend a Norwich Union-funded ‘On Camp with Kelly’ get-together in Leeds last week.

The double Olympic champion initially started ‘On Camp with Kelly’ in 2004 as she wanted to help the next generation of British female middle distance athletes fulfil their potential.

And three of the North East’s teenage stars are among those who have already come under the Olympic star’s wing.

Morpeth’s Laura Weightman, Gateshead’s Stacey Smith and Kate Avery, of Shildon, have all benefited from the ‘On Camp with Kelly’ experience.

However, this year the initiative has been opened up to male athletes for the first time.

And, after a successful trial at an ‘On Camp with Kelly’ session in Loughborough earlier in the year, Kelly decided to invite a select group of male athletes and their coaches to benefit from her expertise at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Dame Kelly put the athletes through their paces in different training sessions and provided them with mentoring support, much of which was new to the talented young athletes gathered at the Yorkshire base.

Also on hand to give tips and advice were former GB middle distance internationals Andy Graffin and Anthony Whiteman, both previous training partners of Kelly during her athletics career, and Kelly’s world-renowned physiotherapist Alison Rose.

Dame Kelly said: “Although Great Britain has been relatively successful in women’s middle distance running on the international stage in recent years, the picture on the men’s side is somewhat different.

“I want to try and understand why this is and help the athletes and coaches to raise their game and compete with the best.

“Ross is a talented athlete and I believe that he does have the ability to succeed at international level, but it is going to take a lot of dedication.

“I hope that this get-together has given him the motivation to go away and work even harder.”

Murray, a 17-year-old pupil at St Thomas More, North Shields, said: “I learnt a lot and I am taking some valuable points home.

“I learnt how to aqua-jog and the benefits it can have, and also areas to improve in strength and conditioning. I plan to work on these and hopefully it will make a big difference.”

Tanya Veingard, Head of Sponsorship at Norwich Union, said: “We are proud to support Kelly in her work in recognising the talent in these young athletes, and hope that in doing so we are making it easier for them to achieve their dreams.”

Murray, who has pbs of 1min 53.30sec for 800 metres, 3:47.50 for 1,500m and 8:21.75 for 3,000m, has already tasted top international competition, having competed in the World Cross-Country Championships and European Cross-Country Championships.

And, after the ‘On Camp with Kelly’ experience, he will be hoping that his next championship call-up is not too far away.

As well as Murray, Teesside’s Ricky Stevenson, was also among the 12 who were put through their paces in Leeds.